Free Blog 3

Books are wondrous things. Every time I open a new book I am always surprised. Even though I know the structure of almost every book by now, books always seem to catch me off guard. Every time I know the girl will get the guy, or they will defeat the evil villain, or I am anticipating someone to die because it has been too calm for a while, I am always surprised. When you get wrapped up into a good book, anything can surprise you because you get attached.

Getting attached is a good thing though. Not just because it keeps you on your toes, but because you take what the author says to heart. Most of the advice I follow has been from lessons or quotes I have taken from the books that stick with me the most. If you pay attention while reading and go deep beyond the story you will find hidden secrets.

Over the years I have read countless books and now I can really focus on the truth behind it all. The philosophic questions, the meaning of love and life, the fact that the author choses this word instead of another; these are all signs. Signs that if you put them all together over the years, will point you in the direction of leading the best life possible.

You may open a book with one point of view on life and close it with a completely different view. That is the magic of reading. Until you actually read it you never know what pieces of the puzzle you are going to get. And by the end of your life, you will look back and say that you have lived your life thoroughly, not always in reality, but still thoroughly.

Ferguson

In August a police officer, Darren Wilson, shot and killed an unarmed black teenager. The grand jury spent three months reviewing the case and just recently announced that they will not be indicting the officer in question. An uproar exploded in the town of Ferguson, where the crime was committed, as well as New York City, Chicago and Oakland. There were riots, protesters, burglaries, and fires erupting in the streets. This one act has outraged the public.

As much as we would like to believe that racism isn't a factor in society anymore, we would be lying to ourselves. Even if it wasn't in the minds of the actual people in question, the reaction from the public proves otherwise. We have to realize, it has only been 50 years since segregation ended. It may not seem like it, but it is still a fresh subject in the grand scheme of things.

On the other hand, if you are saying that this incident was not race related, then it was a matter of policemen thinking that violence solves all problems. That because they have guns, it is always the answer. The amount of weapons that have increased in a matter of 50 years on officials is outrageous.

Either way you look at the problem, it has spiraled out of control. The country is falling apart further every time we "advance" in technology or politics. This one incident has just put that fact into he spot light so that everyone can see it. These protesters aren't there for the man who was killed, they are there because the see the change in society and they don't like it. This is just the people's scapegoat to show that they have had enough. If this didn't happen, something else would have triggered this reaction. This is just the beginning.

Journal #12

                                 
The quote above is from the book, The Impossible Knife of Memory. In the book Hayley, the main character and her father, Andy have gone through some tough times that they would both like to forget. Her father was a soldier and has PTSD. Hayley is the only one around to take care of him since he won't go to see the Veteran's therapist. But, Hayley has her own form of "PTSD".

As she is trying to be a normal girl in high school, he is starting to scare her. She doesn't know what to do with him anymore. Things and people keep coming back from their past and it is making her scared and angry at the same time. She was not prepared for any of this.

These words above is what she say to herself when her memories start to come back. Keep Breathing. These words is what carries her through the tough times, because that's all she really can do, is keep breathing.

This book is a great eye opener to the realities and casualties of war. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know and understand the complications of life from both sides of the story; father and daughter.

Journal #11

In the book, The Impossible Knife of Memory, there is one character that stands out to me. Finn is the main character's "boyfriend" and he is the most fascinating out of them all. He is smart and quirky and he balances Hayley (the main character) out.

We first meet Finn at a lunch table where he is spouting out definitions of random words for his friend's homework. Immediately I could sense that he liked Hayley because of all  of the attention he gave her. Perhaps too much attention, but in a cool/awkward way. That cool/awkward vibe is what I also liked about him. He was different from all the rest of the characters.

I also find Finn interesting because of his "life is life" attitude. He is not pessimistic, but he isn't overly optimistic either. He is just human, which is very refreshing. Hayley struggles with a lot, and he keeps her on the ground. He is a good and decent guy and that is why I think this character is the best out of them all.

Journal #10

There is a quote in the book Every Day that states, "If you stare at the center of the universe, there is a coldness there. A blankness. Ultimately, the universe doesn't care about us. Time doesn't care about us. That's why we have to care about each other." I find this quote to be the absolute truth.

The Universe is only a place to put living things, it is not a living thing itself. It is just there, it does not feel or want, it is just cumulative, therefore it does not care. Time is the same way. It is just a measurement, so it does not care either.

Even though these two things are what we center our lives around, the Universe and Time don't center itself around us. Time seems so fragile, but in reality, it can never break. The Universe seems right in our grasp, but really we will never be able to touch it. We hold Time and the Universe up on a pedestal as if they decide our fate, our future, our choices, our life. But really these two pieces of our life will go on without us.

This is why we have to care about the people that surround us. Without them, we would be all alone, and that is no life. Friends, family, loved ones are all we really have while we are living, so we have to take care of them as best we can.

Journal #9

Like I said, the book Every Day, is full of philosophical questions. But, this quote above, is more about A's personal struggle with what/who he is. As I said before, A wakes up in a different body every day. Never to have his own friends, his own family, his own life. This can be a very lonely life. To never be tied down to anyone or anything. That is probably one of the reasons he feels love so strongly, because he so desperately wants someone to show him that same love.

To be invisible is one thing. It comes with A's territory. He blends in, lives on the down low for a day in whoever's body he is in. He is quiet so no one hears him. But when he does input himself into the life he has taken over for a day and no one notices that anything is different, that everyone thinks it is all fine and normal, it is like screaming at the top of your lungs and still not being heard. Being invisible is far easier than being seen and ignored. At least when you're invisible you have an excuse for why people don't notice you.

Journal #8

The novel Every Day is an interesting read. It is a love story, but a complicated one. The difference being that the main character, A, switches bodies every day. A is neither a boy nor a girl. So, when A falls for a girl when he was "possessing" her boyfriend, it makes things, to say the least, complicated.

Throughout this whole book, there are so many philosophical questions being posed. Based on this fact, I would think that this author, David Levithan, is a very intellectual individual. One can not write this book the way he did, if he wasn't thinking about life, death, love, and sacrifice at least once in his life. It makes me think that he himself has had these same questions circling in his head.

Also, the imagination it would take to come up with this complex life A leads, must be extensive.
Mr. Levithan would have to be a pretty fun guy to hang out with. There is no way someone who wrote this intriguing story could be anything but. To see how he thinks would be fascinating.

Journal #7

The book, The Foretelling, is a story about the Amazon Warriors. If you do not know, the Amazonian population are all women. Strong, powerful, warrior women. The main character in this book is Rain, the daughter of the Queen. Rain struggles with the fact that she thinks her mother hates her. Based on the story of her conception, it makes sense. Being raped by 50 men, is an inconceivable pain and horror that no one would want to remember. It must be so hard for the Queen to think about her daughter, which is why she let others raise her. Through out this book, Rain is jealous of the new woman her mother is with and angry at the new sister she has gained. Rain tries to find out how to be a good person as well as a successful warrior. She struggles with death. When she realizes she is going to be Queen, she struggles with that fact as well.

In the story, Rain talks to the woman who raised her and asks her, "Isn't every Queen cruel?". Her response is, "The weak are cruel, the strong have no need to be." This quote stuck with me throughout the rest of the novel. It is a motif of Rain's life. Later in the novel, when things get tough and complicated, she does not automatically resort to violence. Being strong is not just being physically strong, it is being able to be a leader that people will follow, it is knowing when to fight and when not to, it is being able to take charge when need be, it is being courageous, it is knowing love is more powerful that hatred. Rain is strong.

Even though the Amazon Warriors are extreme in their ways compared to society today, you can take a lot of the advice given in this book and it will still apply to life now. That is what I liked about reading this story. It will make you think about who you are and who you can become all based on the choices you make.

Multiple Intelligences

Who am I? How do I think? How do I see the world? How do I learn? These are all great questions, ones that apparently can be answered from the results of a 50 question quiz.

According to the quiz I just took...

http://www.literacynet.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html (here is the website, so you can take this quiz too!)

...(which is pretty accurate by the way) I think and learn the best when I connect whatever I am doing to Music, Logic, and Language.

My top score was in Music. 4.14 out of 5.

Looking back, this makes a lot of sense. Whenever I am doing homework or need a moment to think, I always put my radio on or listen to iTunes. Music is a huge part of my life. When I would study I would always listen to one song on repeat, then while taking the test, the song would be in my head and so would the answers. Cool, right?!

The next learning technique I scored high on was Logic (3.86). I love knowing how things work. In fact I need to know how things work in order for me to function. If I have a question, I can't hold it in, I have to ask. Critical thinking, mathematical concepts, puzzles; these are what my life is based on. Everything has to be in order and everything has to be explained.

My last learning technique with a high score was Language (3.71). Language is life. It is how you communicate your feelings. There is no way that I could live my life without reading. Without learning new words, new meanings. I would go insane! I love to read aloud, change my voice or accent for every new character introduced. It helps me understand them better, to feel what they feel.

I understand now how accurate this quiz was in telling me how I learn. Making me realize how I can better my studying techniques. You should try it too.

Free Blog 2

When you finish a book, do you ever get that heaviness in your heart because the ending was so well written? But then do you also get that pit in your stomach because it ended and you are still longing for something more; for the story to keep going so that you can experience it all again? The ending included?!

But then, inevitably that ending will leave you wanting more too, so you will never get what you crave the most: a life exactly as it is described in the book.

So, like any logical person, you try to find another book that will give you that same feeling, because let's face it...once a book ends, that's it. There is nothing more for the author to tell (according to them of course). Even though we all know that readers can add pages and pages of extra information as seen evident in fan-fiction.

This is what I call the infinite cycle of reading.

For serious read-a-holics, we experience these feelings weekly. It is torture and pure happiness all at once. You can only try to describe it, but without exposure to an amazing book, our words will mean nothing to you.

So this is my challenge to you: go home, pick an amazing book, on a weekend read it all (nonstop!), then sit for a few minutes and soak up all the information that was just shoved into your brain. Take a moment; laugh, maybe even cry, or sit with you mouth wide open for a bit. These feelings that you are experiencing is the infinite cycle of reading starting to form.

CONGRATS!!!

You are on the right track to becoming a read-a-holic!

We can only hope that soon we will be able to compare our suffering to yours. Happy Reading!

Journal #6

The author of this book would have to be spontaneous and fun,  because that is all this book is. You can't get that much description about the characters feelings while traveling the world if you didn't experience that yourself.

In the book 13 Little Blue Envelopes, the main character Ginny travels Europe on the order of her dead aunt through letters she wrote before hand. Even this plot couldn't be thought of by just anyone.

Te characters she meets on the way are all unique, so at the very least a good imagination was needed. This is why I think Maureen Johnson would have to be an exciting person to accomplish this level of writing skill.

She also wrote a sequel to this book and I expect it to be written with the same enthusiasm.

Journal #5

One passage that stood out to me while reading 13 Little Blue Envelopes, was this..."Sometimes artists like to catch themselves looking out, let the world see them for once. It's a signature. This one is a very bold one. But this is also a witnessing. We want to remember, and we want to be remembered. That's' why we paint."

This quote popped out a me for many reasons. The most simple reason, is that I love to paint, so when the author mentioned painting, i took notice. The reasons mentioned why artists paint, is true too. You want to capture a beautiful moment or memory. And if you are the one capturing the memory, then you can't be in it, so that is why a signature is necessary.

Another reason I focused on this quote is that it mentioned being remembered. This spoke to me.
Who hasn't thought of being remembered after they die. It's a concern that everyone has at least once in their life. If I'm not going to be remembered, then why am I here?

This quote embodies everything about life, yet it's not explicitly saying it.

Journal #4

I would recommend any one who wants to be entertained by witty comments and interesting/unique characters to read this book. Basically, if you want to laugh or be happy in any way, shape or form, you must read An Abundance of Katherines.

Throughout this whole book there are little facts and tidbits to explain what Colin Singleton means and some back stories. Since he is so smart and knows basically everything, reading these will help understand the novel better. Plus, the way that he talks about everything is so entertaining, it makes you laugh.

The way John Green writes this novel, will keep you hooked until the end. Even then, you may want more!

Journal #3

While reading An Abundance of Katherines, one line that stood out to me was this..."Books are the ultimate Dumpees: put them down and they'll wait for you forever; pay attention to them and they always love you back."

As I was reading, this quote was one that I could relate to my life. Also,when your reading, some people tend to skim or read quickly just to pick up key phrases and understand the main idea, but when I read, I do the opposite. I love to read and reread passages, especially if they make sense in real life. Some books don't think about connecting the story to its readers and when an author does this it stands out to me. 

This quote, at first glance, makes you think. Then once you reread it, you understand that a dumpee is someone who gets dumped ( if you didn't already know that). Then you think that to dump a book, you just close it and put it away, so technically it will wait forever. And lastly, my favorite part, is that when you read a book, it takes you in, mentally and emotionally, just like if it really loved you.

This quote is true in all aspects and it is definately my favorite from this book.

Journal #2

I know that this is completely cliché, but my favorite character in the book, An Abundance of Katherines, is the main character, Colin Singleton.

Colin is a child prodigy and he has been broken up with by 19 (technically 17) girls all named Katherine. Did I mention that he is only 17 years old? This guy should be a "player", a stupid jock, maybe even a psychopath, but he is none of the above. He is the smartest person ever! (At least I think so...) Colin remembers everything he reads or hears about and he finds everything interesting. But, being a child prodigy is not "good enough" for Colin, he wants to be a genius. More specifically he wants to have a "Eureka moment".

The whole novel is based around Colin and his friend on a road trip. They stop in a small town called Gutshot and meet some new people. The most random group of individuals you have ever seen has helped Colin finish his theorem. This mathematical formula can predict who is going to break up with who in a relationship based on certain factors. His history with Katherines has given him a basis to test his theorem.

SPOILER ALERT!!

He gets the theorem to work!!

At one point Colin asks his friend, "What is the point of being alive if you don't even try to do something remarkable?" This theorem is Colin's remarkable thing. 

This is why he is my favorite character, his drive and determination. The fact that he wont let anyone deter him from his goal. And the fact that he can take the most simple situations in the world and make them so complicated enough that they are simple again. ( Did that makes any sense...?) Basically he can make you feel good when you are sad, just by being himself. These are the best qualities anyone could ask for, and Colin has them all.

Journal #1

This week I have been reading the book An Abundance of Katherines by John Green.

Now, I know that many people either love or hate John Green novels (there is no middle), but I don't judge a book by their author's "reputation". I have read one of his books before (The Fault In Our Stars) and found it to be very emotional and descriptive, especially in his character's thoughts. He uses a sophisticated language, but in a way that everyone can understand. And based on what I have read of this book, it seems like his writing is consistent (but not in a boring, repetitive way).

Of the two books of his that I have read, they have nothing similar in the plot or character types, but at the same time, you can tell they were written by the same person. You can tell through his word-perfect writing, the emotion he feels for his characters and the deep insight he gives you to understand their frame of mind, that he loves his work.

I personally think that when he does write a novel, he doesn't think of it as stressful or hard work, he genuinely wants to create something that people can connect to. If any writer doesn't feel wholeheartedly that his work is good, it wont be, because authors can't help but put what they are feeling into their work.

As John Green's novels show, he pours his heart and soul into his work.

Sayreville

Football is an old American past-time. In some states or towns it is so popular that it's all you care about. Football was a way to hang out with friends, play a game, laugh, work hard, and win. Bringing people together with one common interest. It was male bonding at its finest. But, currently it has become more of a problem than a solution.

Hazing has become more of a serious crime compared to what it was 20 or 30 years ago. The techniques, social media, and the embarrassment factor have all escalated exponentially. The times are different, society is different, and bullying is frowned upon now more than ever.

This is why when football players in Sayreville, New Jersey were hazing the freshman team, it was a serious offense. There have been some questions on the fact that hazing at this school has been going on for years, but like I said, the times have changed. The fact that reports of hazing have not been known to the public until now is not surprising. But, these varsity members went above and beyond their call of duty and started to sexually assault some of the freshman. Some may say this was the breaking point. One of the victims was quoted saying, "it made me want to shoot myself". No one should feel that way. Especially by teammates who are supposed to be your mentors and friends.

Football has changed through time. What was once a simple and pure game has turned into a cragged and disturbing sport. One filled with manipulation and intimidation. This is why old coaches should not be using their old ways. A smart and fun coach back then is now considered ignorant and easy to fool. Coach George Najjar, aged 62, was in charge of the team in Sayreville, NJ. He would leave the team in the locker rooms alone, giving them space,  but all he was really doing was giving them opportunities. Opportunities to hurt the younger players.

What these recreant teenagers did was unforgivable and now they will pay for their crime. Three of the offenders were initially held in juvenile detention, and four others with less serious crimes were released.

If only these problems were assessed when they first occurred who knows how long ago; maybe these victims would not have had to endure all this pain and humiliation.

Confederate Flag

It all started in 1861 when the Civil War broke out. Eleven southern states succeeded from the Union and were now known as the Confederacy. Although the Confederate States claimed to be fighting for States rights, the States right they wanted to keep was that of slavery. They argued that their "property" (meaning slaves) should not be set free or taken away just because they traveled to a northern state. The North argued that it can be taken away because having slaves in the North would break the law that abolished slavery in the Northern States. This debate quickly turned into a war and when the south succeeded, they had to create a new government, new currency, and a new flag.

These days the Confederate Flag has a lot of controversy attached to it. Whether or not the flag represents Southern pride, advocation of slavery, racism, or the country band Lynyrd Skynyrd is always up for debate. Even the Mississippi state flag currently resembles the Confederate flag, so I understand why there is still so much animosity towards this subject. This issue has not receded from view after the ending of the Civil war, even though it has been 149 years.

This fact becomes evident after reading an article about what occurred this September at Bryn Mawr College. 2 girls decided to display the Confederate flag in the middl of a court yard where everyone can see. When others asked for them to removed it they declined. Eventually they brought the flag into their dorm room, but it could still be seen by others. They defended their actions by claiming that they were just showing southern pride.

This same skirmish has occurred in many southern colleges with strong Confederate ties for years now, but in the case it different. For one, Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in no other city but Philadelphia. And secondly, Bryn Mawr publicizes itself as a progressive college, so for a debate like this to occur there is a very big shock.

Thankfully the students of this college are trying to fix this problem of minorities feeling left out by creating a mandatory diversity training course and increasing the number of colored faculty members. Although these changes are good and could help create some ease between the majorities and minorities, this problem will still be present in our society. And I fear that it always will be.

The Iliad

Hector is a more noble character than Achilles

In "The Iliad", Hector is a valiant warrior while Achilles is a talented warrior. Hector kills Patroclus (Achilles's friend) in war under the impression that he was Achilles. As retaliation Achilles kills Hector, but then drags his body around the city practically disgracing his memory. Hector and Achilles are both killers. They both did evil things that can't be undone but, the way they acted afterwards was completely different. Hector tries to redeem himself, while Achilles' only thought is revenge.

As James Weigel says, "Achilles' life seems tragic, Hector's life is one of pathos, but the pathos of a man fighting heroically against overwhelming odds". One can see how Achilles' life was doomed from the start, but that does not excuse his unforgivable actions after he enacted his vengeance. Hector knows that if he fights Achilles he will die, but he doesn't back down. As said by Hector, "I would not die without delivering a stroke, or die ingloriously, but in some action memorable to men in days to come". Hector wants to die with some honor and dignity. Achilles takes this, his one dying wish, away from him. Achilles states, "Hector, I'll have no talk of pacts with you". He is disrespectful even in this time of war, when honor and respect is all you can possibly hope for.

Mr. Weigel comments about Achilles,"His tragic flaw lies in the savage intensity of his emotions". Achilles doesn't know how to be rational. He goes with his first instinct and it's not always the right one. On the other hand, Hector is very rational. He is smart and realistic. He knows his defeat is inevitable, yet he perseveres. Hector represents the good side of human kind. James Weigel states, "Humans, finally, have more dignity than the gods because they choose their actions in the face of death, while the gods have no such necessity, being immortal." In other words, humans can be seen as more dignified than the gods, because they have overcome challenges with the knowledge that doing so could kill them, but the gods don't have to worry about that, so therefore in this sense they cannot be more dignified. If you compared Achilles and Hector like this you can see that because Achilles has the better skills at fighting, facing Hector is no problem; but Hector facing Achilles takes bravery because he knows that he can't win. Hector's actions take nobility. 

This is why when asked the question, who is a more noble character between the two, my answer is Hector. Hector knows where to draw the line, even in a time of war. Achilles breaks these cardinal rules of war. Achilles has no morals or ideals when it comes to his revenge on Hector. Hector has the courage to fight to the end, while Achilles brags and boasts about his "accomplishment". His fighting in a blind rage is not commendable. Hector is someone that you can admire for his actions, and furthermore his valor.

Free Blog 1

                       

All my life I have been reading; I can't remember a time where I wasn't reading. This being said, I know almost instantly whether I will like a book or not. I have perfected my book choosing technique  over the years and I have found that I am normally attracted to books that are realistic fiction. It makes me think that maybe, if I'm lucky enough, some of the things that happen in my books can happen to me. These types of books keep me invested in their story. I rarely get bored with a book if it is realistic fiction. This is not to say that I hate other genres of books. I am open to any type of book (except those resembling history or historical fiction, those I am skeptical of). I have been known to like dystopian, fantasy, and mystery novels as well.

I am an avid reader. I love the way a book can make you feel, the way it can pull you into a story with just a sentence or two. It can take you everywhere you want to go. It lets you experience everything that you can’t. A book is an adventure, a journey, you can take with you wherever you go. It is a life like no other. You can pause, rewind, slow down, fast-forward, and repeat it as many times as you want. It will illustrate people and places to you that you will never be able to see in real life. It’s like a dream.

This is why I look forward to enjoying this year of reading. Making a dent in the piles of books on top of my desk. I know that I will travel through time, countries, and worlds; fall in love, fight the bad guys, and go on hundreds of adventures all in a matter of these next 8 months. Happy Reading to all!

Chris Herren

The book, Basketball Junkie, is a biography written by Chris Herren himself (with the aid of sports writer Bill Reynolds). Chris Herren had a tough fight with his addiction to drugs and it resulted in him loosing his career, family, and some may say, himself. His life was run by his need to "get high". This man had everything, and he gave it all up for drugs. He says it all started with the pressure to succeed in high school basketball (he blames his father more than once for this). Drinking was just the beginning, he then went onto marijuana, then to ecstasy, cocaine, OxyCotin, Vicodin, Percocet, crystal meth, and finally Heroin. In the end, no one could save him but himself.

He is now a drug free, full-time husband and father, and a part-time public speaker. He made amends with his family and now has his wife and 3 children back. He tells his story around the country helping multiple people (kids and adults) in any way he can. His story is a unique one; not everyone can come back from drugs as well as he did. Not everyone can get forgiveness from the people they hurt as easily as he did. This book is only one person's account, but the lessons that are told can be applied to almost everyone, especially those who have battled or are battling an addiction. Overall, this book is a great warning story, the start of a plan to get clean, and a way to give people hope who thought they might have lost it.

Now, that being said, this book was not one of the best in its literary sense. Although his story is a great one to learn from, it was not written in the most appealing way. The repetitive nature of the book, and the reuse of words in such a short amount of pages was not a great way to keep your readers interested (no matter how compelling the story might be). It seemed as though every other word was winning or every other chapter was just a repeat of the last. Now, if this book was only written by Chris Herren, I would be more understanding as to why the book was written like so, but this is not the case; Chris had a partner, a sports writer in fact, (one who had written a book before), so I see no excuse for this literary nonsense to occur. While I was reading, the book came off as very bland. There was nothing that excited me or caught me off guard. It was predictable, to sum it up in one word. I understand that this is a biography, but still, some creativity in the style or word choice would have given the book some redeemable quality in the eyes of avid readers, like myself.

I would rate this book 2 out of 5 stars. It was readable, but nothing too interesting. But, of course, you can make your own decision about Basketball Junkie.